The Lady and The Cat
by BlueBelle Author 1600
Summary: Marinette is a beautiful young lady who was adopted into a loving family where she spent nearly everyday of her life being loved and adored. Adrien is a dashing young tramp who lives on the streets and spends his days doing whatever he pleases. But when Marinette catches his eye he shows her a world beyond the nice, sheltered neighborhood she's lived in.
1. Chapter 1

"I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Luck." The doctor said. "But tests show that is very unlikely that you'll ever be able to conceive."

"Are sure?" Mr. Luck said. "Isn't there anything you can do? More tests? Medicine?"

"I'm very sorry but no. I've done everything I can but...Your wife is a very healthy woman sir but sometimes no matter how healthy a woman is she just can't get pregnant. It's nothing either one of you did, these things just happen."

Felix and Bridgette Luck were a young couple who had just moved here to Petite Miraculous. A nice little neighborhood were most well off families lived. He was very successful young lawyer and she was a beautiful school teacher. They had been married for three years and now they decided they were ready to start a family. They had been trying for six months but unfortunately it turns out due to complications, it was very unlikely for Bridgette to get pregnant. Poor Bridgette was heartbroken, being a school teacher she was around children everyday and seeing them laugh, smile, play, and hug their parents made her want a child of her own so much. She tried so hard not to show Felix how sad she was, she tried to laugh it off like it was no big deal but her husband knew all too well that not being able to be a mother took a real bad toll on her.

One day he came home early from work expecting to find her sitting in her chair doing her needlework like always but she wasn't there. He went upstairs to look for her and found her sitting in the room that would've been the bedroom for their child if they had one, cradling a doll. It was a China doll that opened and shut it's eyes if you moved it a certain way and it wore a pretty blue dress with a matching blue ribbon in it's dark curls. Bridgette was given that doll when she was a child and she called it Pretty Marie. She was planning to give that doll to her daughter if she ever had one but now it looked like it would never happen.

"So this is what you do when I'm not home." Her husband said.

"Oh! I was just...I mean I..." She sighed. "I'm sorry Felix I know I said it was no big deal but I..."

"I know. I know."

Months passed and she didn't seem to be getting any better. Christmas time rolled around and Felix was out searching for a gift to give Bridgette. After purchasing a few he made his way back home until he spotted the local orphanage. He usually stopped by there every year to drop off a donation.

"Thank you Mr. Luck." The caretaker said. "You know you and your wife are much too kind to us."

"Not a problem but I see there aren't many kids here. That's a good thing right?"

"Yes all of them have been adopted this year except for one."

"Really who?"

She led him into the room where most of the children slept and played. The only child in there was a five year old girl, she had short dark hair and big blue eyes. She was sitting on her bed and watching snow fall from her window.

"Who's that?" He asked the caretaker.

"Her name is Marinette. Her parents died of an illness when she was just a baby, so far no one wants to adopt her because they think she might carry the disease. It's so sad, she's a sweet girl very well behaved. All she wants is a family."

"Really?"

"Yes. Here let me just go put the money you gave us up."

"Of course."

She left. Felix was about to leave but he decided to talk to the little girl. He walked into the room and sent next to her on her bed.

"Hello." He said.

"Hi." She said.

"What's your name?"

"Marinette."

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for Santa."

"Santa won't be coming til Christmas Eve and it's only a week away."

"I know but I just can't wait."

"Is he gonna bring you a present?"

"No, he never brings anything."

"Never?"

"No Miss Parkington says that's because Santa only brings toys and I don't ask for toys at Christmas."

"Then what do you ask for?"

"A Mommy and Daddy but Santa can't bring me that."

"Oh..." He said. "Well you might get a Mommy and Daddy one day."

"I don't think so. No one wants me. They think I could get them sick so I have to stay here but that's okay. They just don't wanna die like my old Mommy and Daddy did."

Felix looked at the child, her words almost brought him to tears.

"I have something for you." He pulled a bag of fresh backed cookies his wife made him from his jacket. They were soft, buttery, and gooey with chocolate chips. "Do you like cookies?"

"I've never eaten one."

"Would you like one?"

"Yes please."

He gave her one and she bit into it.

"These are yummy, thank you."

"Marinette listen, my wife and I want to have a baby but we can't have one of our own. It makes my wife very sad because she's always wanted a little girl just like you."

"Really?"

"Would you like to come live with us?"

"Yes please."

He went to talk with Miss Parkington and sighed a few papers. He wanted to surprise Bridgette so she had Marinette stay with his parents but he was sure to visit her everyday so she could get used to him. Then on Christmas Eve he told Bridgette he had a very special surprise for her.

"Felix please tell me this surprise is not another expensive necklace because I have enough." Bridgette said.

"Well I can't promise you that's not going to be a gift sometime in the future but no that's not the surprise."

"What is it then?"

"Well listen I had a case a month ago where a couple fought to get back their adopted child from it's abusive father, we won the case but it got me thinking why don't we adopt a child?"

"Adopt?"

"Yeah and well a week ago I saw a little girl at the orphanage and I thought you would like her very much."

"Well I could go meet her."

"Okay she's right in there."

"You brought her here?"

"I kind of already adopted her."

"Felix how could-"

"Just go meet her. Please."

Bridgette sighed and went into the other room. Marinette stood there looking their Christmas tree, she was wearing a brand new red dress and with a satin ribbon tied in her hair. When she saw Bridgette she smiled.

"Hi." She said. "I'm Marinette. Are you my new Mommy? I promise you that I'll always be a good girl, I'll go to school, I'll do my chores, I'll never back talk and I'll never lie or cheat, and I'll always say please and thank you, and I'll say my prayers every night, and I'll love you forever."

"Oh..." She picked up Marinette and hugged her close while shedding a tear of joy. Marinette hugged her neck and nuzzled her close.

"Do you like her Bridgette?" Felix asked.

"Oh Felix I love her." She said planting a kiss on Marinette's head. "What a perfectly beautiful little lady."


	2. Chapter 2

It was the first Christmas Marinette had with a family and it was the first where she actually got gifts. Her favorite one was Pretty Marie who Bridgette gave her. Marinette couldn't have been happier on that day neither could Bridgette and Felix. It was love at first sight for them, thy couldn't have pictured a more perfect little girl. Of course like most children she would misbehave from time to time and when needed they would discipline her but most of the time she was a very good child. She did well in school, respected her elders, did as she was told most of the time, she was a polite, honest, sweet, and loving child who her parents only grew to love more with each day and they couldn't help but wonder how no one could've possibly not wanted to adopt such a precious little girl. Their darling, sweet little lady.

As for Marinette she couldn't have imagined a better couple to be her parents. She remembered growing up in the orphanage and playing a little game called pretend family. In it she would imagine that she had a family, she always imagined her mother as a beautiful young lady who liked to sing songs and would sew pretty dresses and her father as a handsome man who was book smart and could play piano. Bridgette and Felix were exactly like her pretend parents. Bridgette had wonderful singing voice and she sang lullabies to Marinette every night before she went to bed and she would also sew pretty little dresses for her to where to church and parties and Felix was very educated in the literary arts and made sure to read her a bedtime story every night he also was talented in playing piano, she loved to hear him play so much that she couldn't help but dance. Being with them made her realize that miracles were real and that prayers were always answered.

Speaking of prayers she always reminded herself that before going to sleep she was to thank God for letting her be adopted by such a loving family and not ending up like those poor unlucky kids who end up riding the orphan trains. If a child couldn't get adopted soon enough they would be placed on the orphan trains and go to live out their days as a servant for a wealthy house hold, most of the time it was the older children who were in there early teens but they had talked about sending her early. She was so grateful to God that she had been adopted just in time.

Eleven years had gone by since that wonderful night where they had been brought together. Marinette had grown into a beautiful and proper young lady with mid-length dark hair and the most beautiful pair of blue eyes anyone had ever seen. She spent her days helping her parents around the house with chores. Her mother had taught her how to sew and knit and her father had taught her how to read and write. When she wasn't helping with chores she was doing needle work or reading. She also had made some friends with some of the local neighborhood kids such as Nathaniel and Ivan. They were such good friends and she would often spend Sundays walking with them through the neighborhood.

"Happy birthday Marinette. I know it's a little early for presents but I couldn't wait any longer to give you this." Bridgette said handing her a box. "Sixteen years old, you're a woman now meaning you need a proper gift for a proper young woman."

She opened the box, inside of it was a necklace. A very expensive necklace. It had a large London-blue stone cut into a trillion/cleftless heart surrounded by white round cut cubic zirconias set in white gold. The chain was composed of a mix of round, pear, and marquise cut white cubic zirconias. The bail on the necklace was a heart cut white cubic zirconia attached to a white round cut stone which was attached to the cage on the main stone.

"Oh Mother it's beautiful." Marinette gasped.

"It was my grandmother's and she gave it to me when I turned fifteen and now it's all yours. I just hope it fits."

She hooked it around her neck, it was a perfect fit.

"Oh Marinette you look so grown up in it."

"Really?"

"Yes and it brings out your eyes perfectly."

"I want to show Nathaniel and Ivan. Do you think they'll like it?"

"Of course. Go show them while I get started on your cake."

Marinette rushed outside to look for her friends but her excitement halted when the paper boy came by and threw a newspaper that read. BREAK IN THIEF STILL AT LARGE. BE SURE TO KEEP ALL WINDOWS AND DOORS LOCKED AT NIGHT. Marinette scoffed at it, that thief better not come any where near her home or they would be sorry, she may be a lady but she wasn't going to let anyone break into her home and hurt her family. The matter was then forgotten and she continued on til she saw a red haired young man carrying a load. It was her dear friend and next door neighbor Nathaniel. He was a very artistic young man who had won plenty of award for his paintings.

"Nathaniel." She called. "Oh Nathaniel. Hello Nathaniel."

"Oh hello Marinette, Happy Birthday."

"Thank you. Notice anything different?"

"Um new hair cut?"

"No guess again."

"Okay let me think...New dress?"

"No."

"Well then I don't...Oh you got a new necklace."

"Yep! Mother gave it to me. Isn't it lovely?"

"Yes it is. Must've cost a fortune though."

"Money doesn't matter what I really love about it is that it was a gift of love."

"We better show Ivan you know how he gets about these things."

"Oh yes where is he?"

"Where do you think? Writing his poetry again."

Ivan was a poet and composer, he loved to write poetry and music and he was very talented at it too.

"Good morning Ivan." Marinette said.

"Good morning Miss Marinette and happy birthday."

"Thank you, look what Mother gave me."

"Wow now that is was one beautiful rock." He joked. "So how old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"My how time flies."

"Yes seems like only yesterday she was just a sweet little girl and now she's a young lady." Nathaniel said.

"Where did the time go?"

"Don't worry boys I'm still the same me just taller."

"And more lovely." Ivan added.

"Aye soon she'll have lots of young men coming to call." Nathaniel said.

"Oh don't be silly. I have no intention of getting involved in romance right now. Right now I'm perfectly happy with my family and my friends. Nothing could make me happier."

When Felix came home, Marinette and her parents spent the evening having dinner and cake then Felix played his piano while Bridgette and Marinette sang songs. It was a wonderful birthday for her and she was convinced that her days would continue to be like these.


	3. Chapter 3

On the lower side of Paris were working class people lived and worked at there lived Adrien was a young and handsome tramp. As a child he used to live at the orphanage, he was adopted once but the family returned him shortly after. Tired of waiting around for a family he ran away and started living on the streets. He moved from place to place, staying where ever he could following his own rules and laws. Now he wasn't a criminal and he never hurt anyone but he was known to cause mischief. He was also a heart breaker. He had been known to flirt and romance several beautiful women but he never took them seriously because he wasn't really one for being tied down.

"Now let's see what am I gonna eat today?" He thought to himself one morning. Whenever he was hungry he would walk into town and stealthly swipe food from the local restaurants and food markets. As usual he would casually walk by to the place that served the meal he was hungry for then wait for just the right moment to strike. He noticed a cook laying out a tray of macaroons. He licked his lips and when the cook had his back turned he swiped the whole tray.

"Why you sneaking little thief!" The cook shouted angrily. "Get back here!"

But he just disappeared into a crowd and once he was safe he began to enjoy the fruits of his labor. He had just finished his sweet treat when he heard a familiar car that he was sure to always avoid pull up. He was an urchin catcher. He would round up orphans and street urchins then either place them on orphan trains or throw them in jail if they had committed any crimes. If they ever caught Adrien he would definitely go to jail. The man had caught two urchins he recognized, his old friends Nino and Alya. Once the driver got out to pick up some things and Adrien hurried to the back of the car where they were being held.

"Pst! Pst! Hey guys!" Adrien called.

"Well blimey, Alya look who it is." Nino called to his girlfriend.

"Hiya handsome." She said. "Come to join the party?"

"Alright now is not the time for wise cracks." Adrien said. "Where are they sending you?"

"Where do you think?" Alya said. "On the trains to be someone's hired help."

"I gotta get you guys out of here but when I do you guys have to lay low okay?"

He unlocked the car doors.

"Gee thanks."

"We owe you big time man." Nino said.

"Yeah whatever! Just get out of here!"

"Hey what's going on back there?" The driver called.

"Scram!" Adrien told his friends. "And be careful!"

His friends got out of the car and ran away while Adrien distracted the driver by throwing some rocks at him.

"You!" He growled at him. "I've been after you for a long time you alley cat!"

"Try and catch me!" He teased.

The urchin catcher chased after him through the town, bumping into several men and women. Adrien had learned the ins and outs of this town since he was eight years old which allowed him to easily out run and escape any catcher after him. It wasn't long before he gave him the slip but in his haste to get away he had unintentionally gone right into the neighborhood of the upper class.

"Well what do you know snob hill." He said. "I haven't been here in a long time. I wonder if any new locals are around. Hopefully they're not as snobby as the old ones."

Curious about the new residents he decided to stick around and take a look at some of the locals. Speaking of locals, Ivan and Nathaniel were paying Marinette a visit.

"Good morning Marinette, how are you?" Nathaniel asked her cheerfully. But she seemed very upset and troubled.

"What's wrong Marinette?" Ivan asked.

"If someone's been hurting you-"

"Oh no it's not that it's just well." She said. "Mother and Father have been very busy lately."

"That's not anything to get upset about." Nathaniel said.

"But they hardly ever speak to me anymore."

"They don't?" Ivan said.

"Yes. Father is always in the guest room preparing something, like a bed I think and Mother she's...She's so moody lately. One minute she's happy and the next she's so upset, angry even."

"I see." Nathaniel said. "and by any chance is she eating more than usual."

"Yes."

"And does she feel sick in the mornings?" Ivan asked.

"Yes. I'm worried that I might have done something to upset them."

Ivan and Nathaniel looked at each other knowingly.

"Now Marinette it's nothing to worry about." Nathaniel said. "Nothing bad has happened in fact if I'm correct something good is going to happen to them."

"Really? What?"

"Well it's a time known as the birds and the bees. Or is it the stork?" Ivan wondered. "How exactly do they explain it again?"

"What he means is Bridgette is expecting a baby."

"A baby?" Marinette said surprised. "But I thought they couldn't have a baby."

"Well it wasn't impossible just unlikely." Nathaniel said.

"Why wouldn't they tell me?"

"Maybe they were just too busy and haven't had the time." Ivan said.

"But why is Mother so moody and sick? Is having a baby a bad thing?"

Unknown to the three of them Adrien had just walked by but stopped and backed right up when he caught sight of the beautiful young woman sitting in the garden. He took a moment to gaze at Marinette and observe her lovely features. Not the usual girl he would set his sights on but she certainly was a beauty. But a girl like that would never be with him that is if she lived here,

"No of course not." Nathaniel said.

"But what if they love the new baby more than me? After allthey only adopted me because they thought they couldn't have one of their own."

"That would never happen and don't worry you'll love the baby."

"They're very sweet." Ivan said.

"And very soft." Nathaniel added.

"Yeah just a cute bundle...of trouble." Adrien interrupted. "A new baby is every adopted child's worst nightmare. Move over will ya red?"

He pushed Nathaniel away from Marinette and took his place next to her.

"Home wreckers that's what they are."

"Listen here pal!" Nathaniel said angrily. "Who are you to be barging in our-"

"The voice of experience Buster." Adrien said. "For starters no one really knows where we orphans came from so there's always the fear that we may carry disease, germs, and over things like that and well Mommy and Daddy can't risk the baby getting sick."

"But I'm not diseased." Marinette said.

"Doesn't matter if you are or not. All they know is you're some random kid they picked up from heaven knows where. Then there's money, babies are expensive you know and suppose they don't have enough money to support the baby and you. Well they can't get rid of the baby, it's their own flesh and blood."

"But they told me that didn't matter to them."

"Of course they said that. You were their only kid and they thought there was no way on earth they could have another especially one of their own but hey miracles happen...At least for them I mean can't say the same for you."

"You mean...They'd actually get rid of me?"

"I've sent it happen plenty of times. It's sad but true part of life but don't worry if you have no where else to go my place is open."

"That's enough!" Nathaniel snapped. "Bridgette and Felix would never do that!"

"And only a monster would be heartless enough to get rid of Marinette." Ivan added.

"You'd be surprised how many heartless monsters there are in this world." Adrien said.

"I don't know what you're trying to pull here you mongrel." Nathaniel growled. "But I won't let you upset Marinette any further with your radical ideas! Off with you now! Shoo! Get out of here! Before I call the urchin catchers!"

"Okay red."

"My name's Nathaniel!"

"Okay, okay. Just trying to help." Adrien said leaving. "But remember this Princess a heart can only have so much love for certain people. When the baby gets here, it's the orphan trains for you."

Marinette knew that what Adrien said couldn't be true but the fear of her parents abandoning her, the fear of losing the home and family she had known and loved for so long, the fear of being placed on the orphan trains or worse was slowly beginning to grow. She couldn't bear it if they disowned her.


	4. Chapter 4

After his little stop in the neighborhood he snuck over to the alleyway to meet his friend Nino.

"There you are man. Where have you been?" He asked him.

"Snob hill."

"You're kidding. I've never been over there, what's it like?"

"Cleanest place I've ever seen, I bet even the dirt is clean. Their houses look more expensive than gold, the birds have their own bath and feeder, and their trees have fences."

"And the people? What were they like?"

"I didn't see much of them but the ones I did see were typical snobs. Well...Except for one."

"Uh-oh. I know that look. Okay who is she?"

"She was adopted by one of the wealthy families, one of those rags to riches orphans. Man I'm telling you Nino I've seen a lot of girls in my life but this one. She's something."

"How many times have I heard that one?"

"Yeah but this one's different."

"Probably because unlike your last girlfriends she's clean, wears nice clothes, and has dough."

"No it's not that. She's got this kind of beauty, this innocent, sweet, kind."

"Never seen one of those on the streets before."

"Yeah but I pity her."

"Why? Sounds like she's living the high life."

"Yeah but her folks are having their own baby and you know what that means. They'll have the poor kid thrown out faster than yesterday's garbage."

"You don't know that. Not only couples ditch their adopted kids after they have one of their own."

"Why not? Mine did. I tried to tell her so she could maybe steal some of their money and take off while her folks were busy but I don't think she believed me."

"So you were just trying to help?"

"Of course."

"Oh and would it have anything to do that she's and quote a special kind of beauty and you wanted to get jiggy with her?"

"Why Nino I'm insulted. You make it sound like I'm some cad who likes to prey on innocent, unsuspecting girls."

"Wouldn't surprise me at all if you were."

The two boys laughed and went off to get a meal. Meanwhile back at Petite Miraculous, Marinette found Felix and Bridgette setting up a nursery for the baby. Felix was building a crib while Bridgette was sewing a baby blanket. They looked so happy, they were smiling and laughing and Bridgette was singing to herself. Surely something that made them this happy couldn't possibly be a bad thing. But the fear that they would get rid of her was still there. They had told her for most of her life how much they loved her and how happy they were to have her but then again she would from time to time hear them talk about how much they wished they could have a baby of their own.

"Bridgette is there anyway to tell that's a boy or a girl is it?" Felix asked.

"Afraid not dear." Bridgette said. "We'll have to wait until April."

"April?" Marinette wondered. "The baby won't be here til April? How strange. Come to think of it where do babies come from?"

Marinette had never been educated on the birds and the bees or on pregnancy so you can imagine how confused she was over the next nine months. Bridgette was moody from time to time, her stomach seemed to be growing larger, and she began craving strange food. She remembered one time in the middle of the night she made Felix get up and go to the market to get her something to eat.

"Bridgette are you sure you want cookies with jam?" Felix yawned as he went to the door.

"Yes and some Camenbert too."

"Camenbert?! But that stuff stinks to high heaven!"

"Sorry honey but it's what baby and I want."

"Oh boy."

Marinette handed Felix his jacket and hat.

"Thank you Marinette." He said. "I swear these late night cravings will be the death of me."

"I didn't think Mother liked Camenbert."

"She doesn't but apparently the baby does and according to your mother we have to feed the baby whatever it wants."

"But the baby's not here yet so how can we feed it?"

"Oh Bridgette and I never told you where babies come from did we?"

"No."

"I'll tell you when I get back."

But when he came back he went straight to bed and Marinette didn't want to disturb him. A few months later there was a huge party held by all of their friends and neighbors. They brought gifts, had a cake, and everything. It almost seemed like a birthday party but the guest of honor wasn't here. Then came that rainy night when she woke up to hear Felix in a panic. He had called the doctor who rushed over right away.

"It's coming!" She heard him shot. "Doctor it's coming!"

"I know. I know, relax sir I've done this a hundred times." The doctor went upstairs into their bedroom.

Marinette heard Bridgette screaming and crying inside. It sounded like she was really hurt so she wanted to go in and help her.

"Oh no young lady." The doctor said. "You can't go in there."

"But Mother sounds like she's hurting."

"She is but don't worry I'll fix it."

"Is she sick? Is she dying?"

"No dear she's just having a baby that's all. Listen why don't you fix your father some tea, he looks like he could use it."

Marinette did just that. She had never seen her father like this. Normally he was very calm and collective but tonight he was a nervous wreck. It was scaring her, was her mother alright? The doctor said she would be fine but if that was true then why was her father so nervous? She went to the kitchen, filled the kettle with water, heated the stove, and put the kettle on it. She then added tea leaves and got out the teapot and cups. When the tea was done she poured some into a cup and brought it to Felix who was shaking like a leaf.

"Father would you like some tea?"

"Yes thank you Marinette." He said drinking it all in one sip.

"Father are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He said taking another sip. "Why would you think I'm not?"

"You're drinking from an empty cup."

"Sorry I'm just worried."

"The doctor said Mother would be okay."

"It's not your mother I'm worried about, it's the baby."

"But the baby's not here."

"Okay honey the thing is the baby in a way has always been here."

"How?"

"Well the baby has been inside of your mother the whole time."

"Inside of her?! How? Did she eat it?"

"No, you see Marinette when two people love each other very much they-"

But the conversation was stopped by the cries of a newborn baby. Felix ran upstairs to his bedroom.

"It's a boy!" She heard him shout.

Marinette wanted to see the baby but both her parents and the doctor insisted that she couldn't see him tonight because he and Bridgette needed sleep so she two went back to her bedroom and went to sleep. In the morning she awoke to that same crying only this time it was followed by Bridgette singing to it. When the crying stopped she went upstairs to her parent's bedroom and softly knocked on the door. Felix opened the door and she saw Bridgette cradling something swaddled in the blanket she made. She then laid the bundle in the crib.

"Marinette." Bridgette smiled. "Come meet your new brother."

She walked over to the crib.

"Marinette this is Daniel."

Bridgette pulled back the blanket to show a tiny, pink, baby with only a patch of black hair on his tiny head, sound asleep. Marinette smiled, she knew what a baby was and she had seen a few from a distance but never one up close. She thought he was beautiful and it was at the moment she knew that Adrien was wrong. This baby wouldn't tear them apart it would only bring them closer.


	5. Chapter 5

Within the next few weeks things were quite happy for the family in fact they were more happy now then they ever were but they were also a lot more tired. So much so that after taking care of baby Daniel for almost a month Felix decided that he and Bridgette needed a vacation.

"I don't know if I can leave him Felix." Bridgette said looking at the infant sleeping peacefully. "He's so little."

"Bridgette he'll be fine and besides I haven't slept in a month we need this."

"But do you really think he'll be okay all alone?"

"He won't be alone he'll have his big sister looking after him, right Marinette?"

"Right. Don't worry Mother I'll take good care of him." Marinette said.

"And my Aunt Audrey will be here too."

"Oh yes her." Bridgette sighed.

"Who's Aunt Audrey?" Marinette asked.

"She's my aunt and she's coming to help take care of Daniel while we're gone." Felix said.

"Felix are you sure she should come?" Bridgette said. "You know how she is with certain people."

"Look I know Audrey can be very difficult and demanding from time to time but she really likes kids not to mention she has two daughters who are Marinette's age. I'm sure they'll all be friends."

"I hope so."

Just then the door bell rang.

"That must be her now." Felix said.

He went to answer the door allowing a blonde woman in her late forties enter the house. She was very tall and looked like she was a woman of high society and wealth.

"Hello Aunt Audrey." Felix said.

"Hello dear, sorry I'm late but the roads were dreadful."

"We appreciate you coming especially under such short notice."

"Oh it's not a problem now the two of you better get going now."

She hurried them out of the house then went upstairs into the nursery. Marinette followed her went over the crib.

"This is Daniel." She said. "In't he cute?"

"Good gracious what are you doing near the baby?!" Audrey cried.

"What do you mean?"

"A dirty little girl like you shouldn't be near this child at all!"

"Dirty?"

"Go on now! Out! Out! Before you get my grand nephew sick with your germs! Get out of here and go take care of my luggage!" She then pushed Marinette out of the nursery and slammed the door, waking up Daniel and causing him to cry. "Oh now look what that girl has done! There, there Daniel I won't let her bother you."

"Hmmph!" Marinette huffed as she picked herself up. "How rude. I'm not dirty, I really wish people would stop thinking that. Well I might as well go help her with her bags."

She went downstairs and went to get Audrey's luggage. On her way down something tripped her and sent her tumbling down the stairs. When she landed she saw what had tripped her was a foot that belonged to a blonde girl who was snickering next to another girl with brown hair.

"So this is the street urchin our cousin Felix adopted?" The blonde said. "She's uglier than her pictures."

"I beg your pardon." Marinette said standing up. "But who are you two?"

"We're Felix's cousins." The second girl with brown hair said. "Lila and Chloe, now if you don't mind we'd like to get settled in."

"Okay well the guest rooms are right down the hall and-"

But the two girls had already left and were making their way toward Marinette's room where Chloe was going through her closet and Lila was going through her jewelry box.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?" Marinette asked.

"These dresses are so poorly made." Chloe said throwing them out. "What kind of designer did you buy these from?"

"None. My mother made them and I made some of them."

"Ick! No wonder they look like trash!"

She watched in horror as Chloe started throwing out and tossing around her dresses, make up, hair brushes, perfumes, and her other belongings.

"Boring." Lila said throwing out one piece of jewelry after another. "Dull, ugly, ugh! What poorly crafted trinkets!"

She then noticed Marinette's necklace.

"Hmmm...That's pretty. Can I have it?"

"Please no, this was my mother's." Marinette pressing her hand over it.

"I don't have a necklace with a blue diamond." Chloe said. "I want one! Give it!"

"I said no."

"Fine." Chloe then picked up an expensive vase and dropped it. "Whoops!"

"That vase was mother's favorite." Marinette gasped as she tried to clean up the broken glass.

"Whoops! I'm so clumsy!" Lila said purposely throwing one of Felix's hats into the fire place.

"What are you doing?" Marinette cried as she tried to get it out without burning herself.

Before she knew it the two girls were purposely wrecking the house and breaking many valuable things that belonged to her family.

"Stop this! Please!"

But they didn't. Poor Marinette went out of her way trying to clean up the messes they kept making and hoping that her parents wouldn't be too angry with her. Suddenly she heard the sound of Daniel crying. She rushed upstairs to the nursery to see what was wrong, Audrey wasn't there but Lila and Chloe were. They stood there over the crib, teasing him cruelly by taking away his two favorite toys, his teddy cat and ladybug which Bridgette had stitched for him.

"Aww is the baby sad because we took his toys?" Chloe taunted while she and Lila did everything they could to keep the toys out of Daniel's tiny hands that were desperately reaching for them.

Marinette felt a great rage come over her. She didn't care about being polite or welcoming anymore. Not to these two because guests or not no one would upset her baby brother and get away with it. She grabbed two of Daniel's building blocks and threw it at them.

"Ow!" They cried.

"Get away from him!" She screamed angrily as she snatched the toys from them and hand them back to her brother. "How dare you upset him! He's just a baby! He never hurt anyone! You two brats leave him alone! Get out! Out! Now!"

She continued throwing blocks at them until they ran out screaming which alerted Audrey.

"What's going on here? Merciful heavens!" She gasped when she saw her daughters lying on the ground clearly faking an injury. "My darlings! My precious children! What happened to you?!"

"It was Marinette!" Chloe lied. "We were just trying to get settled in when she attacked us."

"Yes and she wrecked the house too just so she could get us in trouble." Lila lied as well.

"Oh you wicked girl!" Audrey snapped at Marinette. "How dare you harm my sweet little angles!"

"But I didn't-" Marinette stuttered.

"Silence! I'll fix you good!"

She seized Marinette by her arm and dragged her outside into the car. She drove down to the store where she bought a large wooden cane then dragged her out back where she threw her down and began to thrash her with it. Marinette was horrified, no one had ever hit her before in all her life let alone a thrashing from a cane and it hurt her terribly.

"Hold still!" Audrey demanded.

But she didn't and in fear Marinette broke away and fled for her life. She didn't know where she was going but at the moment she didn't care, all she wanted to do was get away from that woman. She ran and ran until she reached an alleyway where she tripped over a garbage can that made a noise.

"What's this?" A voice asked.

"Oh look it's a woman." Another said.

She picked herself up and found herself face to face with three very large, dirty, and mean looking street urchins. They had tattoos, pointy teeth, yellow fingers nails, oily hair, and bad breath. She did not like the looks of them.

"Hi, sorry if I'm intruding but I'm lost and I'm not really sure where I am." She said nervously.

"What a beauty." One of them said. "This must be our reward for all our hardwork eh boys?"

They chuckled sinisterly and she could tell by the look in their eyes what they were going to do. She might've been naive but Felix had warned her of what some men would to women. She quickly kicked over more trash cans to block their path and ran as fast as she could.

"Get her!" She heard them shout as she ran.

She was a fast runner but she couldn't run forever. Luckily however Adrien was just a few blocks from where they were and he saw her run by with the three men chasing her.

"Help! Help! HELP!" She cried out fearfully.

Thinking fast he headed down a back way he knew of that would prove useful. They had her cornered in an alleyway with no way out. She stood there completely frozen and scared beyond belief.

"Don't worry sweetheart we don't bite." One of them teased as he reached for her.

"But I do!" Out of no where Adrien jumped down between them and bravely shielded her from tgem. "Keep your filthy hands off her!"

"Beat it Agreste! This one's all ours!"

"You lay one finger on her and I'll rip your head off."

"Little punk!"

The three men lunged for him but Adrien was a lot stronger then he looked. He punched, kicked, slugged, and bashed them one by one. Marinette could only watch in amazement, she never thought it was possible for one man to take on three without a weapon but he could. Eventually he managed to scare them off and send them running with their tails between their legs.

"Yeah that's it run! Run away you dirty rats! Before I claw your eyes out!" He flared angrily. Then turned to Marinette giving her a gentle face. "Hey Princess what are you doing on this side of the tracks? Don't you know it's dangerous over here? You could've been-"

But he stopped when he saw her arm was bleeding.

"What happened?" He said gently examining her arm. "Come on I know someone who can fix this."


End file.
